Apparatus for combining finely divided solid material with liquid



Feb. 19, 1952 A. T. coAKLEY 2,586,613

APPARATUS FOR COMBINING TINELY DIVIDED SOLID MATERIAL WITH LIQUID Filed Sept. 7, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet l @gaat Am ATTO R N EY.;

Feb. 19, 1952 A T. coAKLEY 2,586,613

APPARATUS FO COMBINING FINELY DIVIDED ,Y SOLID MATERIAL WITH LIQUID Filed Sept. 7. 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 45M ff /5110- w """mig I N VEN TOR.

rgQ-Z'a/Z/Ze M A nm..

Feb 19, 1952 A. T. coAKLEY APPARATUS FOR COMBINING FINELY DIVIDED SOLID MATERIAL WITH LIQUID 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 7. 1949 mw f A Feb. 19, 1952 A. T. coAKLEY APPARATUS FOR COMBINING FINELY DIVIDED SOLID MATERIAL WITH LIQUID 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 7, 1949 Patented Feb. 19, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR COMBI'NING FINELY DI- VIDED SOLID MATERIAL WITH LIQUID Arthur T. Coakley, Catonsville, Md;v

Application September 7, 1949, Serial No. 114,358

The present invention relates to an apparatus for combining or uniting various dry granular, powdery, pulverulent4 or other nely divided uent solid materials with liquids, or oils, fatty or similar substances `which have been reduced to a sufficiently fluent or liquid state by melting or other method of liquefaction.

One of the primary objects of the invention is to :provide a novel means for combining or uniting and rubbing together hydrogenated vegetable oils and essential oils, such as oil of orange or lemon, with finely granulated sugar, and blending the resulting mass with other dry ingredients in one continuous operation in which the proportions of the ingredients are controlled. The 'invention is applicable, for example, to the preparation of dry formulae bases for cake, biscuit, cruller, wallie and doughnut mixes and the like. In the preparation of such bases, it is necessary to mix together such ingredients as wheat flour, soy our, sugar, shortening, egg yolk, egg white, lecithin, skim milk, whole milk, butterv milk, baking acids, bicarbonate of soda, salt, spices, liquid flavors and other materials.

Shortening and sugar can be combined andr rubbed or creamed to desire degrees of consistency varying from a fluily snow-like mass to a heavy emulsion, dependent upon the proportion of liquid shortening to dry granulated or pulverulent sugar used and upon the duration of the rubbing operation, by placing a batch of such ingredients in a mixing chamber and turning the mass by means of rotating arms or blades.

The present invention provides an apparatus whereby the combining and rubbing together of such materials can be performed more rapidly and economically by first impregnating the sugar with the liquefied shortening and then rubbing therewith. The sugar is impregnated with the liquefied shortening while the sugar is flowing and preferably spinning in the form of a hollow inverted cone, and the shortening is sprayed in the form of a hollow cone directly upon the inner surface of the hollow cone of flowing sugar, the shortening and sugar brought together in controlled proportion. The impregnated mass of sugar and shortening is then rubbed by passing the mass continuously through a chamber containing a series of bladed elements which are rotated alternately in opposite directions throughout the series and operate frictionally upon the mass. When the shortening-impregnated and rubbed sugar is to be employed in the preparation of bakery and. similar products, it is discharged continuously into a 10I Claims. (Cl. 259+-61 i dry materials blenderV which incorporates the shortening-impregnated and rubbed sugar with the dry ingredients such as are used in the preparationy of such products.

The invention, however,. is applicable more generallyzto the impregnating and rubbing together oivarious other liquids or liqueed substancesand granular, pulverulent or other fluent solid materials, either edible or inedible, such for'zexample as the combining or compounding of face powder, tooth powder or body powder with scenting or avoring oils; feeds, meals or laying-mash; or the incorporation of sh oils or vitamin agents with food products; and other desiredcombinations, the invention being applicable toV the impregnating or saturating and rubbingof various dry granular, pulverulent or nelydivided and fluent solid materials with any liquider mixture of liquids, and/or oily or fatty substances in. a liquid state while the solid materials and liquid' substances are flowing at rates which are regulated relatively to one another whereby they will be combined or united in direct desired proportion.

The present invention alsoprovides a unitary and compact apparatus `wherein the process of impregnating and rubbing of the sugar or other uent'solid material with shortening or other liquid ory liqueed substance or substances whiie flowing continuously andin predetermined regulated proportion, and the blending of the resultingimpregnated and rubbed product with mixes-such as used in bakeries and similar establishments, ,may be performed in a single and complete operation.

The invention may be carried out advantageously with the aid of apparatus substantially of the preferred form shown in the accompanying drawings, whereini Figure v1 is a perspective view of the complete apparatus as viewed from the exterior, showing the controls, and means of access to the various enclosed elementsof the apparatus.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section of the apparatus .on,;an enlarged scale, and taken in a plane immediatelybelowA the top of the casing.

, Figure 3 is avertical section taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a verticalsection taken on the line 4 4 in Fig. 3, `portions of some of the elements being broken away.

Figure 5 is a detail Vertical .section on the line 5- 5 in Fig.4 and on anenlarged scale, of the impregnating ,arid rubbing elements of the apparatus.

Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical section of the regulating means for proportioning the liquid and solid material.

Figure 7 is a detail horizontal section on the line lin Fig. 6.

Figure 8 is a detail section of the nozzle for spraying the liquid or liquified substance in the form of a hollow cone.

Figure 9 is a detail vertical section on the line S-S in Fig. 2.

Figure 10 is a detail view 'of the swivel connection between the member for varying the proportion of liquid to solid material and its exterior control. l

Figures 11, 12 and 13 are detail sectional views showing the liquid controlling valve in closed, partially open and fully open position, respectively.

Figure i4 is an enlarged view of the. control.

panel.

Figure 15 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner in which the liquid is sprayed in the form of a hollow cone against the solid material while the latter is advancing Vin the form ofa hollow inverted cone.

Figure 16 is a diagrammatic view showing the liquid supply means, and the motors and their circuits for operating the elements of the apparatus.

Similar parts are designated by the same reference numerals in the several figures.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, 20 designatesr generally a casing, preferably of substantially rectangular form, which encloses the various elements of the apparatus, the casing being composed of sheet metal or other suitable material. The casing is divided interiorly by a horizontal partition 22 into upper and lower compartments 24 and 26 respectively, the lower compartment being a batch blender comprising a trough 28 having blending or mixing blades mounted to rotate therein, the blender shown having two blades 36 and 32 which are fixed to a shaft 34 by supporting arms 36 so that they extend helically around the shaft in diametrically opposite relation thereto, these blades being of a diameter to operate in rela` tively close proximity to the bottom and sides of the trough, both of these blades having a pitch in a direction to advance the material in the trough toward the right-hand end thereof as viewed in Fig. 4, and the blender has an auxiliary blade 38 of smaller diameter than that of the blades 3U and 32 which is fixed to the supporting arms 36 and extends around the shaft with a pitch in the opposite direction to that of the blades 38 and 32 so that this smaller blade will act to return the material toward the lefthand end of the trough. The effect of the op- 4 charged from the blender through the discharge opening 40 by any suitable means, preferably by a screw conveyor comprising a tubular casing 54 which has an opening in its lower end to receive the materials from the opening 40 and has a spout 56 for the discharge of the product into a suitable container. The conveyor casing contains a screw 5B or worm which encircles a shaft 60 rotatably mounted therein. the upper end of this shaft being connected by gearing 62 to a pulley 64 the shaft of which is journaled in bearings 65 which may be mounted on the partition 22. The discharge conveyor is so constructed as to be easily opened at the bottom for cleaning positely-pitched blades is to cause a back and forth movement of the material undergoing blending to effect thorough mixing thereof, although the blades 30 and 32 serve to effectively feed the material to the discharge opening located at the right-hand end of the trough.

The shaft 34 of the blender is journaled in bearings 42 and 44 mounted on the end walls of the trough, and is provided with means for rotating it in the appropriate direction, it being provided in the present instance with a pulley.46 which is connected by a belt 48 to a pulley 50 on the shaft of an electric motor 52 in the upper compartment of the casing and mounted on the partition 22. The batch of blended materials is disinto this hopper.

and removal of residue. The pulley 64 is connected by a belt 68 to a pulley 68 which is mounted' loosely on the shaft 'l0 of an electric motor 'i2 but is adapted to be coupled to the motor shaft by a jaw clutch member 14 which is splined on the motor shaft and may be shifted axially thereon to connect the pulley 68 to the motor shaft by a bell-crank lever 16 pivoted to the casing at 18 and having an operating handle which extends through the casing to the exterior thereof where it is accessible for operation. By engaging the clutch member 14 with the pulley 68, the screw conveyor may be set into operation to discharge a batch of blended materials from the blender at a level suitable for packing on the same floor on which the blender loading operation is performed, thus providing a highly efficient and compact operational arrangement without necessitating elevating the blender or mixer to allow for insertion of containers for gravity discharge on one floor, or piping the gravity outlet through the floor to a lower floor level as heretofore practiced.

The iiour and other dry material with which liquid-impregnated and rubbed sugar is to be blended are supplied from a hopper 82 mounted in the upper compartment of the casing on the partition 22, a hinged chute 83 being provided in the front of the casing for loading dry materials The bottom of this hopper is provided with a suitable sieve, that shown, for example, comprising a substantially semi-cylindrical sieve surface 84 over the surface of which rotating bars 85 travel, these bars being fixed on the periphery of a drum 86 which is mounted on a shaft 88 journaled in the ends of the hopper, and which bars are equipped with brushes which rub against said sieve surface. The sieve shaft 88 is driven in any suitable manner, it having in the present instance a pulley 90 fixed thereon which is connected by a belt 92 to a pulley 94 on the shaft of the motor 52. The portion ofthe hopper 82 below the sieve surface is preferably flared downwardly and communicates with the open top of the blender 28 through an opening 96 provided in the partition 22 adjacent to the end of the blender which is remote from its discharge end. A side of the trough .28 of the blender is provided with a hinged clean-out door 98.

A hopper |82 is provided to supply the sugar or other granular, pulverulent or other fiuent solid material to be impregnated with the shortening or other liquid or liquefied substance, this hopper being open at the top and the top of the outer casing 28 being provided with a door 88 through which the sugar or solid material may be introduced into this hopper. The lower section 166 of the hopper 102 is in the form of an inverted cone and its inner surface is provided 5 preferablywith a 'sitableninber of spiral ribs o r flanges` .llllto impart a spinningrnotion to the materialdescending b'y Vgravity within 'this conical section. The lower extremity of `the conical section |06 is provided with a circular discharge opening I` I which is concentricfwith the axis ofthe conical section |06', and this'. opening is controlled by. a valve, which is'v preferably in the form of a cylindrical gate valve or piston V| I2 which issomewhat larger than the opening. ||0 and ismountedto4 slide vertically in a cylindrical housingl I4 in alinement withthe discharge open ing lland. to cooperate with the conical inner suriaceof thesection I adjacent-Ito and. surrounding said opening as a valve seat. The housing I4 is suitablysupportecl in fixed position with its lower edge spacedabove the lower portion of the wall. of the conical section |`|i6y to 'providean annular passage I I6 through which thesolid ina,

terialdescending overl the innersuriace of. said conical section may pass to the discharge openu ing |I0 under control oi the valve I I2. The housing I I4 is shown rigidlyl supported in the po-r sition described by tubular supporting members ||8 and |20 which are welded" or otherwise xed to the housing and to the conical section of Vthe' hopper. As the sugar or solid materialdescends by gravity lin the conical section |06, a' spinning motion is imparted thereto by the spiral ribs`| 08; and as said material discharges downwardly throughthe circular opening I I0 it formedinto" a hollow inverted cone, as indicated diagram# matically in Fig. l'.

The valve ||2 'is raised-or lowered'to vary the area of Vthe' discharge passage' ||6 by suitable means, such means as. shown in `the presentinstance comprising a' rack bar Y|22 which is welded or otherwise xed 'to the top of the"'valve'and guidedby a guideway |23 which is'rlxed tothe upper portion of the housing I4, and by a pinion |26 which meshes with the rack bar and isv fixed to the inner end of a shaft |28, this shaft exe tending' outwardly through' the housing and Vconical section of the hopper and* through -thewall of the outer casingto the yexterior thereof where it is provided with a hand wheel'l for' rotating-it; The shaft |28 carries a pointer |32 arranged to cooperate with a scale 'or dial |34Y which-is gra-fuated to indicate'diiierent rates orow of the sugar or other dry solid material through the discharge passage I I 6 and thereby facilitate-the-se'tting of the control valve H2. The innerend of the pinion shaft |28 may be supported by a bracketV |36 lwelded or otherwise'iixed tothe iix'ed guideway |24.

The shortening or other liquid or liquefied'substance to be used for impregnating the-sugaror other' solid material is sprayed against'ftheinner side of -the hollow inverted cone a' of the sugar or solid material in the form of a hollowcone b of the liquid which is coaxial with the hollow in* verted cone a, as indicated diagrammaticallylm Fig. 1'5, by a spray nozzle |38 which isi fixed cen; trally in the lower end of the valve 'I |2f-.to dis-A charge the spray of liquid downwardl-ylandaxially through the circular opening 1| I0, this nozzle; being of any well known type capableof. atomizing and spraying rliquid inthe form `,of a hollowfcone. This nozzle is supplied with the liquid or; liquefied substance through a control valve `|40'which'is fixed to the control valve-'I I2 Afor'the `solid ma.- terial so that it will move upwardlyfa-nd down wardly therewith during J its adjustments, 4`and. is connectedtofthe spray nozzle `|38 by a suitable conduitA |4.|.- .Ihe extentoi opening oftheliquid control valve |40 is regulated synchronously and inV correlation with 4the;.eitet .of v.opening of the solidv inaterial control valve" |2 by' suitable means. The i'e'anslshownin the present Yinstance for effectingsh sYI'iclrltuS`y and CiieltVe regulation-,of these valves comprises a` link i42ipivotally' connected ali-its4 lowered to an arm |44 which `eiec'ts the opening .and `closing of the'valve |40, and provided at itsupper `end with a p'in |46 which eng'gesvin, and'` is'. adjustable along a slot. |4'8.in.afr.elatively x'ed or stationary extension |50 tof the bracket |36.' The liquid control valve .|40 is' showntin the. form of a plug valve comprising ari.- outei casing |52 ,having diametrically'aliled .ports .|53 therein, and a plug rotatable in4 the casing and,connected to the ope ei-atingarm, |44, the'gplg having a port; let exe tending diametrcally' therethrough which is adapted, to. tully'iegister With the ports l53`in the Valve' casing t fully open the'valve, as shown in Fig.13,jor"to be rotatedito carry the port |56 entirely 'out of register with the ports |53, to fully close the valve, or' to occupy an intermediate po- Sition iii its rotation asshown in'Fig. l2 to partially open the valve' aiid .thereby throttle the how of liquid therethrough.

The chtrollinglink |'42 and arrn M4 for the valve vH-are' preferably so Adesigned and proportioned that while the solids materials control valve |I2 is fully closed, as shown in Fig. 6, the liquid control valve will 'be in the fully closed position as shown in Fig. l'l', and as the valve i2 is 'elevated to open' it for the ow o'f the solid material.. the plug |5401' the `valve |4'l will be rotatedinto a position to-open `this valve, more or less, as vshoi'i'frllfor example in Fig. l2, depending upon the extent of opening of the valve I |2. Fig. 13 vshoiivsftlie valve .|40 in its fully open position, which it assumes when the Valve l2 is fully open.

The synchronous control thus provided between the solid material control valve ||2 and the liquid control valve |40 proportions the rates of flow' ofthe solid material andliqui'd and consequently the proportions of said material and liquidfbrught together 'and maintains such proportions fo'r different extents of opening of these valves vfor a given setting of their intercontrolling ,connections but these connections are adjustable to? vary the proportioning of flow of qthe solid material and liquid as may be desired,.such adjustment being' provided by the slot |48 in the l bracket in which the pin |46 on the upper end of the 'klink'l42 is adjustable. Shifting of the link |42 angular'ly' 'from its vertical position will shift the'pin 46 onits' upper end from the center .toward an end of the slot |48, which will f have the effect oi reducing .the extent of opening of the'valve |40 for a, given extent of opening .of the valve |.I2 and of ythereby reducing the pro- .portion of liquid` supplied Vrelatively to solid materiallwsuch adjustment of the'link |42 may be eiiected from vthe exterior of theouter casing by ,a rod lthe'outerend of which is exposed attlie exterior of theica'sing and slotted or otherwise formed for adjustmentby a. screw driver or other rsuitable tool, and theouter portion of this rod is threaded in asleeve |62 fixed to theinner side of the. adjacentwall of thecasing whereby rotation ofthis rod will move it endwise. The inner end ofthe rod is connected by a swivel joint |64 tol a rod |66 to which.v zendwise movement ofthe rod |.601is communicatedthe inner end of the rod |66 being connected at |68 to the .link |42 .and operableby the endwise movements .thereof .to .I adjust ...the angular position of said link. `Accordingly, .rotation of .therod |60 in one direction will shift the pin |46 in adirectln from the center toward an end'of the slot |48 to reduce the rate of supply of liquid, and rotation of said rod in the opposite direction will move said pin toward the center of said slot and thereby relatively increase the rate of iiow of liquid.

The liquid is supplied to the valve |40 from a supply tank |10 through a pipe |12, which preferably extends through the hollow supporting tube ||8 and is connected to said valve by a flexible tube |13. Compressed air is preferably employed for feeding the liquid from the tank |10 at a suitable constant pressure. for which purpose this tank is closed and connected by a pipe |14 controlled by a valve |15 to a compressed air supply tank |16, the latter being charged with compressed air at a suitable constant pressure by a pump or other air compressor |18 which is connected to the tank |16 by a pipe |80 and is driven by a pulley |82 xed to its shaft and connected by a belt |84 to a pulley |86 on the shaft of an electric motor |88. When shortening, fatty or similar materials are to be employed for impregnating sugar or other solid material, the shortening or similar substance is liquefied in a storage tank |90 which may be placed above the tank |10 and connected thereto by a valve-controlled pipe |92 for gravity flow into the tank |10 while the pressure is released frm the latter tank. For example, the shortening or similar material may-be melted by a heating element mounted in the lower portion of the tank |90, the heating element shown in the present instance being an electric heating coil |94 which is supplied with electric current under control of a switch |96 and this switch is preferably controlled automatically by a thermostat |98 which may be of the bimetal type or any other suitable type and immersed in the liquid in. this tank and which maintains the liquid therein at a constant desired temperature. shortening or other liquefiable material is introduced into the tank |90 through an opening 200 in the top thereor" and through an opening in the top of the outer casing which is normally closed by a cover 202. The level of liquid in the tank |10 is indicated by a. glass tube or other type of liquid level indicating gauge 204, which may be observed through an opening in the front of the casing which is normally closed by a, hinged door 20B. The temperature of the liquid in the tank |90 is indicated by a thermometer 208 the scale of which is 1ocated preferably on a panel 2|0 on the front of the outer casing, the thermometer being, for example, of the well known expansible fluid type comprising a phial 2|2 i-mmersed in the liquid in the tank and containing such fluid, and connected by a tube 2|4 to a fluid column 2|6 adjacent to the scale 208.

The hollow inverted cone of sugar or other solid material and the hollow cone of liquid or liquefied substance are projected through the opening H0 into a rubbing chamber wherein thorough combining of the solid material and liquid takes place. The rubbing chamber comprises a casing 220 the upper end of which is iixed to the lower end of the conical section |06 of the solid material supply hopper and is open to receive the inverted cone of impregnated material therefrom, and the lower end of the casing 220 is fixed to the partition 22 which is provided with an opening 222 above the blender 28 for the discharge of the rubbed mass into the blender. The rubbing chamber has a suitable number of rubbing elements mounted to rotate therein, these rubbing elements comprising preferably rotatable shafts 220 journaled in the opposite ends of the casing and provided with blades 226 which pro- 1 ject radially therefrom and extend axially therethorough combining or of, these blades being solid or imperforate. It is preferable to employ a series of at least five of these rubbing elements each provided with four blades, and to arrange the rubbing elements in tiers in two parallel adjacent rows, three of these elements being shown in the present instance arranged in one row with their axes in a common vertical plane and two of these elements being arranged in an adjacent row with their axes in a common vertical plane and at levels respectively between the level of the axis of the middle element and the levels of the axes ofthe upper and lower elements of the threetier row.

The casing 220 is provided at the inner side of one of' its walls with deiiectors 228 which extend inwardly between the circular paths of travel of the peripheries of the blades ofthe middle and upper and lower rubbing elements of the threetier row of elements, respectively and have reversely inclined guiding surfaces, and said casing is provided at the inner side of its opposite wall with deflectors 230, 232 and 234 providing a pair of recesses with bevelled surfaces in which the rubbing elements of the two-tier row operate, and which latter deiiectors are staggered relatively to the deflectors 228, thus forming a sinuous or tortuous channel for the passage of the material through the rubbing chamber, and in which channel the rubbing elements operate with minimum clearance. Means is provided for rotating the rubbing elements synchronously and alternately in relatively opposite directions in succession from the uppermost to the lowermost and from one tier to the other tier of the rubbing elements, such means as shown in the present instance comprising a train of intermeshing gears 236 fixed to the shafts of the rubbing elements and arranged to rotate the rubbing elements in the left hand tier in Fig. 6 in a clockwise direction and the rubbing elements in the right hand tier in said iigure in the anti-clockwise direction. The blades of these elements in one tier during rotation thereof move synchronously into and out of the spaces between the blades of the rubbing elements in the adjacent tier, thereby producing a frictional or rubbing action on the mass of liquid-impregnated solid material to eiect a compounding action thereon, and to feed the mass of material downwardly through the sinuous or tortuous channel and discharge it into the blender to be mixed therein with dry solid materials to be contained as ingredients in the final product.

The gear train 236 is driven by a pulley 238 on the shaft of one of the rubbing elements, a pulley 240 on the shaft of the motor 12 and a belt 242 connecting these pulleys. These pulleys are preferably changeable with pulleys of different relative ratios of diameters, or may be of the well known variable diameter type to enable the speed of .the rubbing elements to be varied appropriately for the treatment of materials of different physical properties or to obtain products of different consistencies.

The various elements of the apparatus are preferably controlled from the exterior of the enclosing casing. The rate of feed of the solid material to be sprayed with the liquid is controlled by the hand wheel |30 on the panel 2|0 and the proportion of liquid to solid material is adjustable by the exteriorly exposed slotted end of the rod |60, as previously stated, and the switchi244 .fort the sieve and .blender operating motor. 5.2 theA switch' 246 for .the .air. compre.ssor voperating .motor ,|88 and the switch.l 248. for the motorflZ for operating .the rubbing .elements and the discharge conveyor .fortheiblender are also .located on the.` panel/.21.0. at thefront. .of the casing.

In carrying out the. process with..the,aid of an apparatus as hereinbefore .described,.the sugar or other-granular or. pulverulent solid .material to be impregnated is placed in the supply hopper |02, the.impregnatingliquid, if anoily or fatty substance requiring liquefactionis .placed in the storage tank I90.andmelted bythe heating element |94 under. `control ,of .the .thermostatc and the liquefied. substance is @fed Lbygravity through the valve controlled pipe` |02 .into the liquid supply tank where it .is subjected to ,air pressure on its surface by `(,:ompressedair suppliedl at a constant .pressurethrough the v pipe |74 from the air. compressor |178,l and the ingredients to ybeblended with the liquid impregnated solid Ymaterial areV placed 'in theh01eper.82 Closing `of the `switches .244, 2.4.6 .and .248,forfthefmotors the valve ||2 is opened to the appropriate extent according to the desired rate of feedof solid imaterial by rotating the hand wheel |-30,.;and.sirnu1 taneously therewith, theliquid: control valve |240 is .opened in .consequence .or the upward .or opening movement-of thevalve |2 ,andthe connection ofthe Operating arm lMiofthe valve L40 to the 'link |42, whereby the solidmateral will flow downwardly along the convergent-inverted conical inner surface of the, conical vsection |08 of the hopper .|02, .and indoing so :will have a spinning or whirling motionimparted thereto by the spiral ribs |08, '.The granular .or pulverulent solid material .discharging by ,gravity-through; the circular opening-:|10 Vis formed intoia-,spinning hollow inverted cone, and simultaneously the impregnating liquidL supplied at a constant pressure to the nozzle |36 will be sprayed thereby in the form of a hollow cone inside of the hollow inverted spinning cone of granular or pulverulent solid material and against the inside ofv the descending hollow cone of solid material, thereby uniformly and thoroughly impregnatingthe solid material zwith the liquid, the-spinning of the cone '15 switch |90 until ithas .the desiredv consistency v2?5 52, |88 and v'l2 respectively sets into operation` for feeding the li-quid as h ereinbeforefdescribed,

of solid Vmaterialacting to fold? the liquid into the vdry solid material.

The liquid impregnated granulated or pulverulent solid material is .discharged throughthe circular opening |0.into .theirubbing chamberf220 in which it accumulates andis formed into a mass which substantially lls this chamber. This mass descends through. the sinuous channel provided in this chamber .and while doing so is; successively rubbed frictionally by the interaction of the blades of the series of rubbing elements, thereby uniting or: A`combining v-tlrie-liquid and granulated or pulverulent solid material uni-V formly throughout the mass.

The united or combined mass is discharged am form the hollow cone of solid-material, a Inozzle from the rubbing cnanibelxthrougnthe discharge opening..2.22 into theclblender 2.8 in av region in its .1engthadiacentt0-its .discharge end, where it is mixed with ,the other ingredients of the desired productvAwhich are introduced into the blender at or nearits opposite .en d through the opening 96 below the sieve. The helically Vpitched blades ofthe blender. act .on the materials thus introduced therein to `mix and blend these materials and to move them backend forth, and the blades 30acting to move the materials toward the Adischarge endof the blender. The vmaterials are thustreated in the blender until theyare thoroug.hlyy mixed O rfblended, y.whereupon the handle iS operatedl to vcause the clutch member`|4 to engagethe pulley 6| with the shaft of the motor '|2, thereby setting the screw 500i the discharge lconveyor into operation to discharge the batchof rmaterial from the blender.

The proportoningof shortening er liquid t0 sugar or s olid material .is accurately correlated Lby the intercontrol between thevalves controlling the flow thereof to different rates of ow of the solidrnaterial, sothat the proportion of solid material and liquid ismaintaine.d, insuring .at all times the desired proportionof sugar or solid material and shortening. or yliquid tobe mixed with a batch of dry rnaterialin, .the blender.

An advantageous feature of the invention is that it enables the .impregnating and rubbing 0r Ycrearning of.. shortening -andsugarto `be performed while the sugar and .shortening are flowing continuously andy in .a .desiredproportion which is predetermined. thus .facilitating in a novel .manner the blendingof .dry prepared mixes such as usedin bakeries and similar establish- `ments for cake, biscuit, doughnut and waiile formulaerand the like, `and enabling .one single compact unit of machinery to. be used to. Aperform these operations in their entiretywher-ever de.- srable.

I claim:

.1. Apparatus for combining finely divided solid material with liquid, .comprising an inverted conical surface for theflow of the solid material thereover and having a circularopening at its lower end for discharge of said material in the form of a hollow inverted cone -converging to one .common point, and a,Y spray nozzlelocated coaxially with said .conical surface and centrally within said opening for. ra,tomizing -liquid in the formof a hollow c.one,-and means connected directly to the nozzleffon supplying liquid under pressure and in .controlled volume rthereto and for projecting atomized liduidlagainst the inner sideof the hollow ooneof Solid material.

y 2, Apparatus for combiningfinely divided solid material with liquidf comprisingqan inverted conical surface for the Vnew ofthe solid material thereover and having; a Circular opening at its lower endffor .dcharge `of A'said material in the form o f a hollow inverted cone converging to one common point, rmeans for controlling therate of flow of the solid material from said surface to located `coaxially with said opening for atomizing liquid -in the form of a hollow cone against the inner side of the :hollow cone of sol-id material, andmeansfor controlling the rate -of now of liquid to the nozzle.

3. Apparatus-for vuniting finely -divided solid materialand liquid in ampredetermined proportion, comprising a hopper for the solid material having an inverted conical section for the flow of solid material thereoverl and having a circular opening at its lowery en'd for the discharge of the solid material, an annular valve movable axially relatively to said opening to provide an annular discharge passagel of variable area, means for spraying liquid in the form of a cone through the circular opening, and means connected to said valve for controlling the supply of liquid to the spraying means in accordance with the area of said discharge passage.

4. Apparatus for combining iinely divided solid material and liquid in a predetermined proportion, comprising an inverted conical surface for the now of the solid material thereover and having a circular opening at its lower end for discharge thereof, an annular valve movable axially relatively to said opening to provide an annular passage of variable effective area for the discharge of solid material through said circular opening in the form of a hollow inverted cone, a'

spray nozzle positioned centrally of said opening for spraying liquid therethrough in the form of a hollow cone and against the inner side of the cone of solid material, a liquid control valve for controlling the supply of liquid to said nozzle, and means interconnecting said annular valve and liquid control valve for synchronous adjustment of said valves to thereby correlate the rates of flow of solid material and liquid.

5. Apparatus as defined in` claim 4, wherein said interconnecting means between said` valves is adjustable to vary the proportionate rates of flow of the solid material and liquid.

6. Apparatus for uniting finely divided solid material and liquid, comprising means for spraying a flowing body of the solid material with a liquid, a chamber positioned to receive the sprayed solid material and having a sinuous channel therein for the ow of a mass of sprayed solid material, a series of rubbing elements mounted rotatably in said channel in adjacent tiers with their axes in relatively staggered relation and having blades thereon operative frictionally on the mass of material, and means connecting the rubbing elements for rotating them alternately in opposite directions in order from the upper to the lower end of the series with their blades interacting in synchronism.

'7. A unit for combining iinely divided sugar with shortening and blending the same with dry materials to form a mix for bakery products, comprising in combination, a batch blender having mixing means operative therein, means for supplying to the blender dry ingredients for a batch of such a mix, a hopper for supplying finely divided sugar having a conical lower section provided with an outlet opening and a cooperative valve for discharge of the sugar in the form of a hollow inverted cone, a spray nozzle positioned centrally in said opening, a storage tank to receive shortening having means for heating the latter to liquefy it, a supply tank connected to receive the liquefied shortening from the supply tank and connected to said nozzle, means for applying pressure to the supply tank to supply the liqueed shortening to the nozzle for spraying against the inner side of the hollow cone of sugar as the latter discharges from the conical section of the hopper, a rubbing chamber having a sinuous channel therein to receive the sprayed sugar and to discharge the same into the blender to blend with the dry ingredients for the mix, rubbing elements in said channel Oprlvf 15,9

produce a frictional rubbing action on the liquidsprayed sugar during its passage through said channel, and means for discharging from the blender a batch of a mix blended therein.

8. A unit for blending dry ingredients and discharging a mixed batch thereof on the same level on which loading operation is performed, comprising a blender having a trough to receive the ingredients and blades operative therein to blend the ingredients and advance the blended ingredients toward one end of the trough, and discharging means for the blended ingredients having a casing connected at its lower end to the end of the trough of the blender toward which the ingredients are advanced and having a discharge at its upper end, and a screw conveyor mounted to rotate in said casing to receive the batch of blended ingredients from the blender and to discharge the same from its upper end.

9. Rubbing apparatus for uniting nely divided solid material and liquid, comprising a chamber having an inlet and an outlet for the flow of a mass of material through the chamber, a plurality of tiers of rubbing elements mounted rotatably in said chamber on axes in relatively staggered relation and having blades thereon elongated in the direction of their axes and operative frictionally on a mass of material in said chamber, the blades of the elements in adjacent tiers intermeshing and being operative to produce a, rubbing action on the material in the chamber, and means for rotating the elements in directions to move the intermeshing portions of the blades of said elements in adjacent tiers downwardly and in synchronism.

10. Rubbing apparatus for uniting finely divided solid material and liquid, comprising a chamber having an upright passage therein for the flow of a mass of material therethrough, series of rubbing elements mounted rotatably in said passage in adjacent tiers on axes substan tially parallel to the walls of said passage and having intermeshing blades operative frictionally on the material in said passage, said rubbing elements being closely confined between the walls of the passage to restrict the flow of material through said passage to the zones of operation of the bladed rubbing elements, and means for rotating the rubbing elements in adjacent tiers in relatively opposite directions and with their blades intermeshing in synchronism.

ARTHUR T. COAKLEY.-

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 323,681 Holmes Aug. 4, 1885 384,568 Evans June 12, 1888 912,628 Sherman Feb. 16, 1909 1,279,791 Uiting Sept. 24, 1918 1,558,069 Williams Oct. 20, 1925 1,700,510 Oches Jan. 29, 1929 1,788,345 Skirvin Jan. 6, 1931 1,790,347 Hawkins Jan. 27, 1931 1,855,548 Forester Apr. 26, 1,932

OTHER REFERENCES McCarthy, Food Industries, Modern Mixing, Nov. 1949, pages 'J9-8,8.l 

